Critic Reviews

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100

Computer Gaming World (CGW)

True artistic achievement, is rare and irreproducible, and precious when it’s found. BLACK & WHITE is such an achievement, and it is one of those games people will still be talking about twenty years from now.

100

Game Revolution

Black & White has captivated the entire GR staff with its amazingly creative and unique gameplay, graphics and humor. It's the sort of game that comes around once every few years and totally changes the gaming landscape. Take heed, heathens - there's a new god in town.

Black & White is a land game. Combing elements never before assimilated together, we are presented with a completely satisfying gaming experience. Despite the scarce number of levels available, Black & White is still an event that should not be missed.

Despite the tedious micromanagement and the apparent stupidity and indolence of the villagers, Black and White is still an extremely superb game with its innovation, beautiful graphics, and wondrous sound. The gameplay is extremely deep and it would get you hooked onto the game for hours. It was so addicting that I ended up playing for six hours without even noticing the time. Black and White most definitely earns top marks. There's nothing else quite like it.

If asked about B&W, one couldn't possibly know what to say. Not only does this game captivate you with its great visual effects, and extremely atmospheric music, but it also succeeds in achieving what many other games couldn't, being in its revolutionary idea, smart AI, or the totally free camera. Even outside the technical standards of video gaming, B&W doesn't fail in having an effect over you. It succeeds in forming an inexplicably strong bond of trust between you and a computerized image that is sitting in your computer screen. No, B&W does not fit its name quite properly, it's just white with very few black spots scattered around.

I have been lucky over the past 12 months. I have played some of the best games ever made and playing Black & White is just pure icing on the cake. Like a Sim game, the replayability comes not from the missions but the “software toy” aspect of the game. Bragging rights over the highest alignment, best fighter or just coolest creature are all on the line. I find myself replaying sections and games to just see what I can do or if there was a different way to do something. Peter Molyneux and Lionhead studios had an ambitious dream and the talent to realize that dream. Black & White will be talked, argued and thought about for years to come. It has opened our eyes to new ways of doing things and has reminded us that sometimes, just sometimes, the hype is deserved.

I did read some message boards with some players expressing disdain at the performance on some systems. I have to report that I have no complaints other than the length of time it takes to save. The graphics are smooth and crisp. The landscapes are beautiful and serene. Realism is definitely a factor in the programming of this game and you can interact with almost everything. If your villagers need lumber just rip a few trees out of the ground (roots and all) and throw them into the lumber yard (which your creature will do too, hehe, if he sees you doing it). If you want to chuck a boulder at someone's home causing it to collapse, do that too! The sound is wonderful (other than the three shipbuilders singing every time you choose them) and is a pleasure to listen to. As per most games you can toggle the game music on or off. I never have game music on but that's personal preference.

With that said, the epic single player side of Black & White is wildly imaginative, elegant, charming, and a lot more action-packed than I thought it would be. Words like "ground-breaking" and "revolutionary" are sure to be attached to this title, and I can already state with confidence that Black & White is assured "classic" status in the annals of PC gaming. While micromanaging the shear number of things to do may be overwhelming for some players, Black & White is like stepping into a breathing, living world, and although it took a lot of patience for the release, the final creation was certainly worth the wait.

Score a direct hit for Lionhead Studios. This game sets a lofty goal and nails it on every aspect. Play it now, so ten years from now, when people talk about the classics, you can say you played one of the best ever. Unless Max Payne delivers a completely new experience, or some other game comes out of the woodwork, Black and White will most definitely garner game of the year awards by most of the media.

Black & White is a high-quality game that lives up to its hype. It has an innovative style, quality design and some elements that have never before been seen in gaming, like the alignment system. It's easily one of the most entertaining games I've played in a long time. There are only really two drawbacks I've seen. First, small parts of the multiplayer interface seem disjointed and unfinished, something I'd normally not expect on a game this polished. Second, given that you can let the game progress at whatever speed you like, it can really bog down if you stick to a plan of training your creature and letting your civilization grow before continuing the storyline. These problems aside, Black & White is an excellent game that deserves to be in every gamer's library.

After three years in the making, Lionhead Studios' first game manages to live up to the extremely high expectations after all. It's a massive game about lofty concepts--gods and miracles--and yet the game is genuinely funny. The scope of Black & White is so far in excess of a typical game design that it seems surprising that the finished product turned out so polished and so playable. Still, its many different elements require a lot of explanation--the game has lots of mainstream appeal, but its sophisticated mechanics may quickly confound more casual players. Black & White is clearly a labor of love by designer Peter Molyneux and his staff. While some aspects of it take getting used to, and can even be frustrating, there's just so much to see and experience in Black & White that its shortcomings should not turn you away from this incredible game.

Do you have a God complex? No? Well, I do, and it’s totally awesome! With Peter Molyneux’s latest brain fart, Black & White, players assume the role of the Lord almighty and must choose between sinner and saint. Will you perform miracles, or institute callousness? I, of course, chose the latter, and yes, the world feared me. I threw rocks at houses, tossed villagers over mountains, and fed loyal worshipers to my pet. What a rush! With user-friendly gameplay and intricately detailed graphics, Black & White’s world is something to behold. Just the general scope and overall depth this title delivers are staggering. Basically, you can do whatever you want and the game will react accordingly. If there ever was a 'necessity title,' this is it for strategy and sim fans.

Spartan multiplayer and skirmish options are disappointments (although Lionhead has promised additional free maps to bolster these areas), but should not put off potential players. Black & White is a colossal achievement. Original but approachable, diverse but coherent, drop-dead gorgeous but deep, and above all obscenely entertaining.

Regardless, the game has the potential to give each player a real insight into his or her own psyche. The name of the game is self-expression through the character you develop. Besides, the game is simply pure fun once the learning curve is behind you and offers an immense canvas on which to paint any god-like aspirations. Go forth, multiply and rule!

This game is off the hook. You have control of virtually every facet of your followers' lives, right down to how much they breed. There is so much depth and ingenuity oozing from every pore of this game, multiplayer might boggle your mind. If you enjoyed games like Sacrifice, and feel like investing a week of your life into perfecting a game, have at it with Black & White.

Surely, you wouldn't want me to tell you everything there is about this game now would you. However, it doesn't hurt to reemphasize that Black and White actually features a solid plot, which is something that was usually missing from Peter's previous god-game efforts, or games like The Sims for instance. All the more reasons for you to run out and grab yourself a copy of Black and White. This reviewer says you won't regret that decision.

"Whenever people call out to the heavens a god is born". This is where you come in. Black and White is a game full of beautifully detailed graphics, unparalleled AI, and engaging storylines. You are given the role of a god, and are granted the power and duty to rule. Whether you choose to rule with a feather touch or with an iron fist is your choice. You are a god, you do whatever you please. However you must never forget that your power is derived from the prayers of your followers so you need to keep them worshipping. So the question becomes, would you rather be respected, or feared?

Should you spend the money? Yes! Sell your soul to the devil, do whatever it takes to get this game. The game would be worth it with just the creature let alone the strategy part as well. Black & White is one of the games you will remember 10 years from now as a turning curve for PC gaming. Thank you Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios, this game has certainly been something fresh and new.

Black & White integrates in an innovative and effective way several different styles of play, where what you do has direct and multilevel effects on the environment around you. Truly addictive, it has found a way to tug on our emotional heartstrings at the same time it appeals to our cravings for power and control. Others have tried games dealing with heaven and hell, good and evil, and light and darkness, but never with such success. It is easily one of the most intricate computer releases ever devised. Parts are a bit problematic, such as the combat, challenges, and village management, but most of what you experience is endlessly fascinating. Every gamer should be exposed to this release both to find out how truly imaginative digital recreation can be and, indeed, to find out a lot about what our values really are, as for most of us that is not at all a black-and-white question.

The game play is real fun. This game took three years to make, so my expectations were high. The graphics are beautiful. The sounds are good. The controls are a little tricky and takes some getting used to. You can multiplay this game and even play online. On the downside, there are some bugs in the game. There is a patch out though. Hopefully that fixed them. From a Christian standpoint, don't play this if you are uncomfortable being treated like a god.

Now, after 60+ hours and taking the time to think about all of the aspects of Black & White, I think that I understand how I feel about it. To sum it up: it has a great concept, great innovations, but they should have spent more time refining the gameplay to be more rewarding. City building, fighting, and creature training are all too shallow. The single player game feels like they rushed the last two missions, and even pulled out a few they didn't have time to work on. As it stands, Black & White gets old after a while. Who would we recommend this game to? Not the hardcore gamer. He or she would get upset about the same things I did (lack of tech tree, shallow gameplay). There's no powering in Black & White - you can't exploit a feature to overwhelm your opponent. I'd recommend this to a more casual crowd, someone who's big into The Sims or Petz. Casual gamers are more likely to overlook aspects that can be compared to past games.

I can't decide if I'm disappointed or not. I am enjoying the game very much, yes. I think it's got excellent graphics, and a great story line. I would've loved to see more replayability, more flexibility. After reading some interviews with Molyneux and hearing descriptions of the last hours before the game went gold, I've gotten the impression that the folks at Lionhead got so close to the game that they couldn't see the problems.

Overall though, its a very addictive game. There's a lot to think about as you play; you have to manage your resources effectively whilst at the same time concentrating on evolving your creature and expanding your domain. Players will spend a lot of time marvelling at the quality of the graphics and the level of detail. The simple act of throwing rocks can provide entertainment as you learn how to bounce them off things (like villagers, for example) and watch the excellent physics engine. The huge variety in the gameplay will keep people playing it for ages, and if people can stick past the occaisional point of slow gameplay, they'll keep getting more and more impressed by the level of detail. The creature alone will provide many players with hours of enjoyment as they teach it how to act, and then take them into online venues to play (or fight) with other creatures.